Horns?

Does anyone know where the horn is (57 Beetle) and how it works (is it mechanical or electrical?). Not working at the moment so what is the process of attempting to fix it?

Cheers,
H

the little oval grille under the headlight is there for the sound of the horn to come out, it is behind the left one - electrical

Its in the same place as later ones under the front left hand guard

Most probally the carbon brush thats located in the steering coloum is worn out or gone or the wire has fallen off the terminal or about 20 other possibilties

Hi
The Horn on Volkswagens is different to all other cars I've had dealings with...
With the ignition ON...
Power is going to the horn ALL the time...
so when You press the horn button..
it earths out the horn wire that goes up the centre of the steering column...
early beetles have a button on the side of the steering column just under the dash...
this button has a carbon brush which rubs on the steering column...
so the steering column is earthed... so when the button is pressed.... BEEP

Many early horns had an adjustment..
You can turn the adjustment back and forth to try to get it to work... if it doesn't beep...
You need a another horn...
Lots of them at swap meets and the wreckers...

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

Ok had a look at the horn, and found wires were not connected properly at the steering boss, fixed that up but still not working. Does not appear to be a button or any adjustment screw? I have located where it should be and i cant see the wire running past the hole. I get tension in the wire at the boss so it must be connected...

Help please? what can i do, do i need to pull the whole steering column to find out?

Cheers,
H

The steering column is hollow. There should be a brown wire from the horn button to the rubber universal joint at the base of the column and a short wire that earths the column to the steering box. There is a brass ring and a brush in the horn button area. Be very careful when you take the horn assembly off as if you mess up the indicator assembly they are almost impossible to repair or reassemble.

Get a 12 volt test light, and check the wires from the horn to the steering box, from live with the ignition on , through a fuse to the horn.

Make up two pieces of different coloured wire about 3 metres long with small alligator clips on each end. You will find them to be very useful whenever you need to test electrical circuits.

Test the horn itself before doing anything else. It has a adjusting screw. If the horn is dead get a really loud one from another car and start all over again.

If all else fails, put a big horn button on the dash which must be clearly labled as the horn button.

i would take the horn off or get wires to it to test it also )or first cause any wiring changes are useless if that olde thing dont toot.
ps i have brush set up if u need
alsohorns specific to your year
cheers

shaihulud wrote:a short wire that earths the column to the steering box.

where is this located?

shaihulud wrote:There is a brass ring and a brush in the horn button area. Be very careful when you take the horn assembly off as if you mess up the indicator assembly they are almost impossible to repair or reassemble.

What has the indicator got to do with the horn assembly? There is a horn button but where is the horn assembly am I missing this?

shaihulud wrote:Test the horn itself before doing anything else. It has a adjusting screw.

located where? on the horn? I am sure i have parts missing but just not sure what.

Thanks
H

[ Edited on October 2nd, 2006 by Ich fahre ein Kdf ein Tag ]

Er, yes. All Beetles are the same but some are more the same that others.

If you have a wire down the steering column, it will be connecetd to one of the two horns of the column where it bolts to the rubber joint. Then there could be a wire that connects that horn to one of the horns on the steering box. Then again your horn may be earthed to the steering column at the top, which is why you don't have all that.

The horn and the indicator are separate as you say, but I was giving you some general advice, which is "Handle the indicator switch very carefully as it is incredibly fiddly and difficult to fix."

I've some Beetle horns with adjusting screws, you seemingly do not have one of those horns. I recently fitted two Ford Falcon horns to my Manx SR, so the horn is VERY LOUD, just as a little car's horn needs to be. So if the horn is dead get a good LOUD one from a wreck.

All I can suggest is that you test the entire circuit as only then can you find a fault. Obviously, by eliminating parts of the circuit you will eventually find the problem.

yay piccy time LOL i knew hanging onto all those parts would be useful one day....:o

anyhoo
1. the short wire on the steering coupler i think its the same on all models

2. the brass bush thing on the indicator switch and there is a brass ring thing on the steering wheel that contacts this but yea they do break real easy

and 3. the adjuster screw on the horn
dont know exactly what it does i assume it puts tension on the diaphram and changes the horn tone
i turned the one on this horn and it never worked again LOL
i dont think its on all horns i've got a few that dont have it

hth
-Joel